Assistant Scientist

About the Role

Whether you’re talking about length, mass, time, temperature, electric current, amount or the brightness of light, the National Physical Laboratory sets the standards by which these things are all measured

NPL’s Electronic and Magnetic Materials Group is looking for an Assistant Scientist to support our growing portfolio of customers. The group delivers world-leading measurement capabilities to industry and academia, working with many sectors, including aerospace, automotive, energy and medical, supporting the UK’s electric propulsion and Earth observation strategies.

As new measurement requirements are identified you may also work alongside other scientists as part of the project team delivering new measurement capabilities and solutions. A mixture of on-the-job training, self-learning and formal training will be provided.

What you’ll be doing:

• Organizing and deliver ing customer calibrations and measurements in accordance with ISO 9001 and UKAS accreditation (ISO 17025).
• P lanning and making measurements, analysing the data and generating customer reports.
• Assisting in maintenance of facilities and equipment to enable delivery of other measurements.

About You

We are looking for a person with an aptitude for science or engineering to work within the Magnetics theme to calibrate instruments and characterise magnetic and non-magnetic materials.

What you can bring to the role:

• A good knowledge of physics and mathematics to A level or above, and an interest in electrical engineering.
• Good communication skills (both written and verbal) in order to liaise with customers, to understand their requirements and to discuss results, together with organisational skills to deliver work to time, quality and customer expectations.
• An ability to problem-solve, observe trends in measurement results and question results when needed.
• Excellent team working and relationship skills and an ability to adapt and apply knowledge to new challenges.
• Proficiency with MS Office applications.

The following may be advantageous for the role:

• Experience of working in a laboratory environment.
• B asic knowledge of electrical and magnetic quantities and measurement techniques. An appreciation of the behaviour of magnetic materials and the principles of magnetic sensors would be an advantage.
• Experience with technical software, such as Mathcad or LabVIEW.

We actively recruit citizens of all backgrounds, but the nature of our work in specific departments means that nationality,  residency and security requirements can be more tightly defined than others. You will be asked about this throughout the recruitment process. To work at NPL, you will need to obtain BPSS security clearance.

Please note: Applications will be reviewed, and interviews conducted throughout the duration of this advert therefore we may at any time bring the closing date forward. We encourage all interested applicants to apply as soon as possible.

About Us

The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is a world-leading centre of excellence that provides cutting-edge measurement science, engineering and technology to underpin prosperity and quality of life in the UK.

NPL and DSIT have strong commitments to diversity and equality of opportunity, and welcome applications from candidates irrespective of their background, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, or age, providing they meet the required criteria. Applications from women, disabled and black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates in particular are encouraged. All disabled candidates (as defined by the Equality Act 2010) who satisfy the minimum criteria for the role will be guaranteed an interview under the Disability Confident Scheme.

At NPL, we believe our success is a result of the diversity and talent of our people. We strive to nurture and respect individuals to ensure everyone feels valued by treating everyone on the basis of their own individual merits and abilities regardless of their own or perceived identity, as part of our commitment to diversity & inclusion, we hold memberships and accreditations to ensure we’re creating an environment where all our colleagues feel supported and welcome, please see our Diversity & Inclusion page.

We are committed to the health and well-being of our employees. Flexible working and social activities are embedded in our culture to create a positive work-life balance, along with a broad range of benefits . Our values are at the heart of what we do, and they shape the way we interact, develop our people and celebrate success.

To ensure everyone has an equal chance, we’re always willing to make reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process. If you would like to discuss, please contact us.